If you want to express that an action has been experienced in the pass, you can use the particle 过 (guò).
Structure:
Subj. + Verb + 过 + Obj.
过 is used to express that something has happened, that is has been experienced. If you are asking in English if someone has ever done something before, you use the words “ever” and “before”. In Chinese 过 alone expresses this, without the need for additional words.
Examples:
我去过中国。= I have been to China.
你见过那个人吗？= Have you seen that person before?
我看过这部电影。= I have seen this movie.
Negating a 过 sentence:
To negate a 过 sentence you should use 没 (méi) because you use 过 to talk about past actions.
Structure:
Subj. + 没 + Verb + 过 + Obj.
Examples:
我没去过中国。= I have never been to China.
我没坐过飞机。= I have never taken a plane before.
你没吃过日本菜吗？= You have never eaten Japanese food before?
To emphasize „never“ even more, you can also use the word 从来 (cóng lái).
When you follow 从来 with 不 (bù), you are expressing that you never do something as a habit or as a rule.
Example:
我从来不喝酒。= I never drink alcohol.
When you use 从来 with 没/没有 and 过 after the verb, you indicate that you have never done something before in your life.
Example:
我从来没学过这个词。= I have never learned this word before.
Post time: Jan-08-2020